"If you've never had a God-sized dream that scared you half to death, then you haven't come to life." Mark Batterson
For many years, I worked as the Director of Faith Formation in a large congregation. I loved examining Scripture and creating activity that would give children, families, and the broader church faith with a pulse. Most of the time, I designed programming on my own to ensure that it was engaging learning that would apply to everyday life. From my Sunday School design to church-wide Advent Fairs, Cross+Gens, Trunk or Treats and more, EVERYTHING was crafted with intention for a living faith.
Eventually, I felt God-calling me to a change. Throughout my years in ministry, parents and grandparents would share that they wanted to talk about faith in their home but they didn't know how to get started or what to do. Leaders from other congregations called with questions about program design and how to recruit and equip volunteers in a busy world.
These are the things that make me tick. Creating connections. Promoting family. Nurturing faith. Reminding people who they are in Christ and what that means for their everyday life. This is what I was made for.
And I knew I had the creative wherewithal to share it with a broader audience...though I had no idea how it would all turn out.
Trusting God, I ordered myself a heath bar latte and started pouring over pages to turn a long time dream into current reality. Years before I'd designed a mother-elementary daughter dance series that used combined movement as vehicle to discuss issues of the heart. The local newspaper did a story on how I used dance, discussion, and activity to make mom the go-to girl on topics that most matter - beauty, friendships, the power of words, media and more. Refocussing each topic through the lens of faith, DUOble Faith was born. A joint Bible Study for 6-12 year old girls and their moms was absent on the market and this would lay the foundation for many important conversations ahead.
Then came the website design and the beginning of designing printable PDF products for use in the church and home that would provide caring adults and congregation leaders with every word, question and prayer they would need to successfully complete a themed activity.
I cried with my first order.
My purpose was, in fact, purposeful for others.
God calls us to do scary things sometimes. But, when it is from Him, we can know it will be used for the greater good. So pray, listen, and push through the fear in whatever it is you've been gifted and called to do. You just might experience a joy you didn't know existed.
In honor of National Entrepreneur's Day this week:
Newest Products
Most Popular Products
Products for the Upcoming ChristmasSeason
"Perfect Peace" Christmas Program Script (linked above)
Dream big & trust God, friends!
xx Melissa Nesdahl
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